Protests against braid chopping continue in Valley

Srinagar, Oct 11: An unruly mob has set on fire house of a person accused of chopping braid of a woman in Monghama village of Pulwama district of South Kashmir. Two persons including the accused have already been detained by police over the accusation of braid chopping.

Sources told news agency GNS that a woman (name withheld) hailing Monghama village of Pulwama had claimed that her braid was cut by some persons three days ago. The woman claimed that today once again same persons came to cut her braid but their attempt was foiled and that she saw them. Afterwards, her family said, they lodged a complaint against them with police.

Acting upon the complaint, police detained both accused namely Muhammad Shafi Sheikh of Monghama Pulwama and Gulzar Ahmad Mochi of Sonwar Srinagar. The family when called for identification said that the duo was involved in the braid chopping. Soon, an unruly mob set on fire the house of Muhammad Shafi. Both the accused, who work at Children’s Hospital Srinagar, however have pleaded innocence.

SSP Pulwama Muhammad Aslam Chowdhary told GNS that both the accused have been detained and police are investigating the matter. “Our investigation is on,” he said. Meanwhile, three alleged braid cuttings incidents were today reported from Fateh Kadal, Batamaloo and Uri areas of Srinagar and Baramulla districts respectively. Locals staged protest at Fateh Kadal and Batamaloo and also clashed with forces.

2 ‘rumourmongers’ arrested in Srinagar

Two youths accused of spreading rumors regarding rag pickers vis-à-vis braid chopping have been arrested from Nowgam area of Srinagar, police said on Wednesday.

A police officer told news agency GNS that two alleged rumor mongers were arrested for spreading rumors on Monday regarding braid chopping which led to assault of four rag pickers as well as police party that had reached the spot to verify the matter in Nowgam area.

“On October 9, miscreants at Gandbal village of Nowgam had floated a rumour that four persons from outside J&K who were roaming nearby were braid choppers. Soon, the outsiders were surrounded by a mob of 2000 persons who started abusing, beating and heckling them,” said the officer.

The police officer said that upon receipt of this information, police had rushed to the spot to verify the matter on that day. “Instead of helping police verify the matter, the mob led by miscreants indulged in heavy stone pelting upon the police party,” he said.

The police officer said that the outsiders were rescued and case with FIR number 116/2017 U/S 336, 353, 341 was registered in Police station Nowgam against Sajad Ahmad Parrey, Muzafer Ahmad Kalwatho, Shakeel Ahmad Dar and Bilal Ahmad, all residents of Soiteng.

“During the course of investigation it was found that the 4 outsiders were rag pickers who have been working in Kashmir for many years now and were passing through Gandbal in the course of rag picking when a few miscreants with mischievous intent started shouting that they were braid choppers. Further investigation has uncovered the names of few persons who were instrumental in initiating and spreading the rumor,” the officer said.

Two of the ‘rumor mongers’ namely Towseef Ahmad Dar of Padshahi Bagh Srinagar and Mir Musadiq of Lasjan have been detained, he said, adding that they have “confessed to their role in spreading rumors and are being dealt with under relevant sections of penal code”. “More arrests are expected as police uncovers rest of the miscreants behind rumor mongering. Citizens are requested not to fall prey to rumors and are requested to dial 100 to inform police instead of taking matters into their own hands,” the police added. (GNS)